Cultural Intelligence and Real Estate

Lola Audu is used to creating firsts in her adopted U.S. home. As an international student in college, she had to teach white administrators about unintended racism. As a real estate professional, she became the first black president in the 117-year history of the Grand Rapids Association of Realtors. As a graduate of the Cultural Intelligence Center, she is now bringing cultural intelligence (CQ) to the real estate industry. Join Alan as he interviews the Nigerian native who has become a West Michigan force to be reckoned with.

Maybe it’s the sunshine, but foreign visitors to the West African coast often remark about how ‘friendly’ the people are. The term ‘friendly’ can mean a lot of things depending on the viewpoint and experience of the giver and/or receiver.

One day, I asked a friend from America why Nigerians were frequently referred to with this descriptive? The response to my question was suprising to me. In essence, the answer was this: ‘You people seem to be happy. You smile a lot and you greet people with enthusiasm. I was perplexed. Wasn’t that simply the basics of good manners? Of course, you didn’t just say ‘Hi’. It was rude to greet someone early in the day and not inquire about basic things such as their well being and the well being of the family members. Saying ‘Good Morning’ was simply the opener to polite conversation.

Years later, I found myself in America. I would quickly come to understand that the phrase ‘Let’s do lunch’ was not necessarily a serious invitation to meet for a meal. And, unless there was a specific follow-up, this seemingly direct and straight-forward request was merely a nicety. One which carried little sense of obligation for either party. At least that became my perspective as I waited for phone calls which never came in those early years.

Not only do societal norms and manners matter, they can be the oil which greases the wheels of progress and prosperity or the quick sand which sinkholes the unsuspecting novice. In many cultures, so called ‘niceties’ may be more crucial to a successful negotiation than the written terms of a contract. Having some level of clarity and intuitive knowledge can be critical to avoiding costly disasters – situations where the goodwill seems to evaporate without explanation, rhyme or reason.

Take for instance the simply politeness of saying ‘Good Morning’. My experience in my native country was such that if I forgot to say ‘Good Morning’ to anyone, I was reprimanded…in public…in front of the party I offended. And, then instructed to start out on the right foot by greeting people properly. Most individuals don’t need more than one or two public shamings of this sort to know that saying ‘Good Morning’ is a pre-requisite for polite company in southern Nigerian culture.

So, you can imagine my suprise when in the early years of my real estate career, I greeted a colleague with a cheerful ‘Good Morning’, only to be ignored. I was so surprised, I asked one of the secretarial staff if I had inadvertently offended the individual. I found the answer even more surprising when she responded with ‘O don’t let that worry you, that’s just how he is.’ So, a show stopper in one culture may be viewed completely differently in another one.

Cultural Intelligence enables us to adjust and adapt across cultures in ways that allow us to interact and to utilize the wisdom from keen observations to make good decisions. Being effective in different situations does not require mimicry in the traditional sense, but it does help to have enough sensitivity and personal insight to adapt in a way that shows goodwill towards people and situations that differ from our own.

One of the most important tools today for business and in many respects life in general, is the ability to be able to be flexible in adjusting to rapid change, much of which is difficult to predict. Earlier in November, I had the opportunity to broaden the conversation within the real estate industry through a presentation at the national conference for the real estate industry held in Orlando, Florida. Here are a few snippets from an onsite interview.

We live in a global village, a multi-contextual mixing bowl of cultures and counter-cultures. Cultural Intelligence has emerged as a critical form of knowledge, insight and engagement necessary to be competitive across a broad spectrum of client interactions. Perhaps few professions deal with differences in culture and perspective as frequently as members of the real estate community who are tasked with helping people of every race, tribe, creed and tongue find that unique spot to call home.

We’re pleased to present a unique class which explores the role that Cultural Intelligence can play in helping REALTORS understand how to serve the needs of their clients. Culture is an entity that morphs and changes. Simply learning a few ‘so called ‘rules of engagement’ is not adequate preparation for the numerous ways in which culture impacts response patterns, thinking and interactions. A lack of cultural intelligence can create angst, irritation and loss of otherwise promising business opportunities.

The class draws from Lola Audu’s personal experience of growing up in a cross cultural context within the African continent that included an educational experience where students represented 60 different nationalities. A term which is sometimes used to describe individuals who regularly navigate the world of multiple cultures is ‘third culture’ kids. A simple question such as ‘Where is home?’ may be answered in surprisingly nuanced ways. The Millennial generation is the most diverse generation in America’s history. It is also the most diverse generation culturally in the entire world. You may enjoy reading the this article and watching the video below.

While most Americans will not have this level of cultural dissonance or experience, the reality is that in today’s world, a REALTOR’s clients will increasingly have some elements which differ from the traditional norm of the dominant culture. Are you prepared to serve effectively?

In addition, the course will cover issues of cultural ethnocentrism as well as discussing Fair Housing issues related to the impact of the institution of dominant cultural norms and discrimination in the United Sates.